Bengaluru: Singri Gowda, the centenarian who achieved international acclaim for his portrayal of the grumpy patriarch ‘Century Gowda’ in the national award-winning film Thithi, passed away late on Sunday night at his residence in Singregowdanakoppalu village in Pandavapura taluk in Mandya district. He was over 100.
His family sources confirmed that the actor had been bedridden for the past few months after suffering a hip fracture from a fall. His health further declined due to age-related ailments.
His passing comes as a double blow to the Thithi family and fans, occurring just weeks after the death of his co-star and on-screen son, Channe Gowda (popularly known as Gaddappa), who died on November 12.
From fields to fame
A farmer by profession, Singri Gowda was discovered by director Raam Reddy and co-writer Ere Gowda for their 2015 breakout hit.
His raw, unfiltered performance, characterised by his habit of sitting on the roadside and hurling colourful, sensor-defying remarks at passersby, became the soul of the film.
While Thithi remains his magnum opus, he went on to act in several other films that capitalised on his unique Mandya dialect and wit.
His last appearance on the silver screen was in the 2020 film Gudumana Avanthara.
The signature wit
He was best known for his no-filter dialogue delivery.
While Thithi is a nuanced take on death, the most iconic and frequently quoted line from the movie, which even inspired a film title later where he and Channe Gowda starred together, was harsh but humorous: “Yen nin problemmu?” (What is your problem?). This dialogue became a pop-culture phenomenon in the state.
His last rites were performed at his native village on Monday afternoon, according to the family traditions.